p2pnet news view | P2P | Music:- Vivendi Universal, EMI, Warner Music, Sony Music and their RIAA continue to try to screw everyone, music lovers and the companies which buy their ‘product’ alike, every which way they can.

It’s their traditional way of doing bidnes.

But while they try to, “muster up a vision of what it might resemble in the future, a singer-songwriter from Sopchoppy, Florida, named Grant Peeples isn`t waiting around holding his breath,” says my friend Maggie DiPietra, herself an amazing Florida blues singer and guitar player.

Because he’s found a way to sell his music.

And it’s based 100% on trust.

In 1995 Peeples moved to a remote Caribbean island off the coast of Nicaragua, says Maggie, going on that after 11 years of official ex-patriot status, he sold the small hotel he’d built there and returned to his native North Florida where today, he’s writing and singing songs “about what he found and faced on his return home”.

She goes on »»»

His songs poke you in the eye. They are like late night at a beach bar where John Prine, Jack Kerouac, Tom Waits, and Che Guevara have had a few margaritas together.

You can hear Grant Peeples` songs on more than 50 radio stations across the U.S. Peeples lists more than 40 gigs he has lined up from Miami to Atlanta between now and the end of the year; some are big festivals, others are on the house concert circuit. But it`s obvious this is how he makes his living.

Peeples writes songs for thinking people. So maybe his audience will be able to grasp his progressive business model that completely eliminates the middleman.

So what’s Peeples’ P2P deal?

Here’s how he sums it up on the Grant Peeples web page »»»

Two years ago I saw a Telecaster guitar I wanted on line. I sent $1200 to a guy I had never met or spoken to, and he sent me the guitar. That got me thinking: Why can`t I just do that with my records? Why do I want to pay Amazon.com 55 percent? Or CD Baby (a great company, I should say) 35 percent?

If I trusted that guy to send me the guitar, why don`t I just trust people to send me payment for some songs they want to have?

So, that`s what I`m doing. This is the New Deal.

If you would like one of my records, just email me at order@grantpeeples.com Tell me which record you want and give me an address to send it to. And that`s what I`ll do. I`ll include an envelope addressed back to me. Once you get the CD you stick a check or some cash in that envelope, put a stamp on it, and send it to me. Total cost, including shipping, is $15.00.

“I don’t think Peeples` fans will  have any trouble with the idea of dealing directly with an artist,” says Maggie, adding:

“I don`t think they`ll miss the lack of ‘branding’ and ‘demographic’ meetings that have a goal of telling you what kind of music you want to buy. I`m also sure he’s not the first artist to deploy this strategy.

“My hope is that other artists will be inspired to look beyond the ‘traditional’ business model and come up with more creative ways to directly connect with their audience and be able to stay true to their art at the same time.”

JN

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May, 2009